Hornets pull away from Mavericks, 97-92

NEW ORLEANS — Jarrett Jack blamed himself for the New Orleans Hornets' loss to Toronto on Wednesday, saying he failed to take over down the stretch.

The Associated Press

NEW ORLEANS — Jarrett Jack blamed himself for the New Orleans Hornets' loss to Toronto on Wednesday, saying he failed to take over down the stretch. He did not have to wait long to make a correction. Jack scored six straight points in the final 1:09 and hit an 11-foot shot in traffic with 17.9 seconds left to secure the Hornets' 97-92 win against the slumping Dallas Mavericks on Friday night. “We were up two and Coach (Monty Williams) called a timeout,” he said. “I went up to him and told him I am ready and just give it to me. I don't know if he heard it, but I had the confidence in myself to knock down the shot.” Chris Kaman had 20 points and 13 rebounds for his fourth consecutive double-double for the Hornets, who dressed nine players. Xavier Henry added a season-high 19 points off the bench, and Jack, who started for the first time in seven games, finished with 15 points and six assists. Dirk Nowitzki added 19 points, but was only 7 of 19 from the floor and did not shoot a free throw as Dallas lost a season-high fourth in a row. Rodrigue Beaubois had a season-high 25 points for Dallas, making 11 of 17 shots after starting for the first time in 13 games. Jason Terry was one of nine from the field, and Jason Kidd had only one field goal. “We have to fight our way out of this,” Mavericks coach Rick Carlisle said. “They played a great game. All 48 minutes, they just played harder than us.” The Hornets led for the entire second half, but needed Jack's plays at the end to hold on for the win. His fadeaway jumper with 1:07 left gave them a 91-84 lead. After Nowitzki hit a 3-pointer and threw a long pass to Beaubois for a layup, cutting the deficit to 91-89, Jack responded with his big shot. He then made two free throws to make the score 95-89 after Vince Carter missed a step-back 3-pointer. “I did not do a good job of taking care of the ball, but I had the ball in my hands,” said Jack, who finished with five turnovers. “My teammates had confidence to put the ball in my hands.” Trailing 82-70 with 8:30 left, Dallas made it close with a 10-0 run. Carter's 3-pointer stated it. After both teams endured nearly a three-minute drought, Kaman was called for goaltending on a Shawn Marion floater, Nowitzki hit a fallback jumper and Beaubois converted a 3-point play when he threw the ball high off the backboard and was fouled on a driving layup. The Hornets responded with a 9-4 run. Solomon Jones hit a mid-range shot from the baseline. Henry stole a Nowitzki pass and cruised in for a dunk. New Orleans outrebounded Dallas 50-34, getting 17 second-chance points to the Mavericks' seven. “The game was won on the boards,” said Dallas center Brendan Haywood, who had four points and seven rebounds. “If we do a better job there, we win this game.” Dallas cut into a six-point halftime deficit in the third quarter but never went ahead. With the Mavs trailing 68-67, Nowitzki had a shot go in and out. Terry missed a 3-pointer that would have tied the score at 72. The Hornets then went on a 10-1 run. “Guys were real in tune with what we were doing scheme-wise,” Jack said. “We just didn't have many breakdowns tonight. That allowed us a chance to win.” Kaman and Henry took turns scoring in the first half as New Orleans led 52-46 at the break. Kaman hit six shots in a row to start the game, scoring 13 of the Hornets' first 19 points. Then Henry got hot, connecting on six of seven. His 13 points in the second quarter surpassed his season high of 12 for a game. Dallas trailed 41-30 before Kidd sparked a 12-0 spurt with a 3-pointer. Carter followed with a driving dunk, and Marion dunked off an inbounds pass to give the Mavericks a brief 44-43 lead. Nowitzki, who was questionable with a back injury that forced him out of the Mavs' game with Memphis in the second quarter on Wednesday night, made a 3-pointer on his first attempt, banked in a 3 a little later and hit two more 3s the final 61 seconds of the game.

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